'I don't feel deserving to be honest' - Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's candid admission on winning Athlete of the Year award

After being named the World Athletics Female Athlete of the Year, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in her acceptance speech, gave an honest admission that she doesn't 'feel deserving' of the award.

The American hurdling queen was announced in Monaco alongside Swedish Pole Vault icon Mondo Duplantis, in recognition of their standout achievements in 2025.

Both were the final winners to be revealed at the World Athletics Awards 2025 on Sunday (30), on an evening that saw six athletes crowned in three categories – track, field, and out of stadium – before the two overall winners were confirmed.

Before being named as the World Athlete of the Year, McLaughlin-Levrone was earlier announced as the women’s track athlete of the year ahead of Dutch superstar Femke Bol - a category that instantly stirred enraged reactions from fans and enthusiasts when they were announced as finalists over more deserving athletes like Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Beatrice Chebet.

Interestingly, the American may share in these sentiments as part of her acceptance speech tends towards this direction.

"I’m honestly blown away to win this. I don't even feel deserving to be honest, but I'm just grateful for this year and for the recognition it’s received. It’s been a tough season in a field that was so stacked with such amazing talent. I'm beyond grateful for how they've been able to push me to new heights.

"The culmination of the season in Tokyo was a really special moment. I’m so thankful for everyone who supported, watched, voted, and who was there throughout this whole process.

"Thank you so much, World Athletics, for this honour and recognition. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there (at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco), but I'm grateful to still be able to share my thoughts and gratitude with you all.

The 26-year-old won the world 400m title in Tokyo in a North American record of 47.78s, breaking a 42-year-old championship record with the second-fastest 400m of all time. As a result, she became the first athlete to have ever won world titles in both the 400m flat and 400m hurdles, following her win in the latter in Oregon in 2022. She also formed part of USA’s victorious 4x400m team in Tokyo.

She has also been undefeated for two years in both the 400m flat, which was her main event in 2025, and in the 400m hurdles, extending her win streak in that discipline to 24 races.

Looking back at her historic success this year, McLaughlin-Levrone concluded by saying she wants to continue giving her best and bring more positive attention to the sport.

"Track and field is, I believe, the best sport in the world. I want to continue to show the world that we are some of the best athletes around. For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible. I want to continue pushing boundaries in 2026."